Opportunity Information: Apply for 72069622RFA00003
The Modernizing Agriculture Activity (ModAg) is a USAID/Rwanda funding opportunity designed to help Rwanda's agricultural sector deliver stronger, more inclusive economic growth while also improving food security and nutrition. USAID plans to fund one implementer through a cooperative agreement, selecting the applicant that best matches the goals laid out in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) based on a merit review and a risk assessment. The central idea is to move beyond basic production support and instead modernize how agriculture connects to markets, finance, technology, and the broader policy environment so that farming can generate higher incomes and better nutritional outcomes over time.
At its core, ModAg aims to increase household incomes and improve nutrition by sustainably raising agricultural productivity and by strengthening domestic consumption and markets for higher-value and more nutritious agricultural products. In practical terms, this signals a focus on improving both the supply side (how efficiently and reliably food is produced) and the demand and market side (how products move, who buys them, and whether consumers can access and afford nutritious options). The emphasis on sustainability suggests USAID is looking for approaches that keep working after the project ends, such as commercially viable models, durable private-sector relationships, and stronger local systems rather than temporary inputs.
USAID frames the opportunity around a specific, overarching challenge: Rwanda's agricultural sector is not reaching its full potential to drive inclusive growth, food security, and nutrition. The constraints highlighted are interconnected. First, farmers and agribusinesses often lack strong linkages to profitable markets, which can leave producers stuck selling into low-margin channels or facing high post-harvest losses and weak bargaining power. Second, there is insufficient financing across the sector, which limits investment in quality inputs, equipment, storage, aggregation, processing, and other improvements that can raise productivity and profitability. Third, the sector struggles with inadequate uptake of production-enhancing technologies, meaning improved seed systems, climate-smart practices, irrigation solutions, mechanization, post-harvest handling, and digital tools may not be reaching farmers at scale or in ways that fit their needs and risk profiles. Fourth, farmer support services are described as inefficient, pointing to gaps in extension, advisory services, training, and coordination that can prevent farmers from adopting better practices or meeting quality standards required by higher-value markets. Finally, USAID notes a constrained enabling environment that discourages private-sector investment and engagement, which can include policy, regulatory, or institutional barriers that raise the cost and risk of doing business in agriculture.
The structure of the award is important. Because this is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, it typically implies substantial involvement by USAID during implementation, such as collaboration on planning, monitoring, adaptive management, and coordination with other stakeholders. The opportunity is listed as discretionary and categorized under agriculture, with CFDA (now often referred to as Assistance Listing) 98.001. Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning a wide range of organizations may apply as long as they meet any specific eligibility conditions stated in the NOFO itself. USAID explicitly instructs prospective applicants to read the NOFO closely to understand the type of activity sought, the application requirements, and the selection process, underscoring that compliance and responsiveness to the NOFO will matter.
From an administrative standpoint, this opportunity was issued by USAID in Kigali under the Agency for International Development, Rwanda (USAID-Kigali). The funding opportunity number is 72069622RFA00003. The notice was created on July 11, 2022, with an original closing date of August 17, 2022. The award ceiling is $28,000,000, and USAID expects to make a single award, which indicates a fairly large, consolidated activity likely intended to operate at meaningful scale and coordinate multiple interventions under one implementing mechanism.
Overall, ModAg is positioned as a systems-oriented agricultural modernization effort in Rwanda. The opportunity is not just about increasing yields; it is about building stronger market connections, expanding access to finance, accelerating adoption of productivity-enhancing technologies, improving the effectiveness of farmer support services, and addressing enabling-environment constraints so that private-sector actors are more willing and able to invest. The intended end result is a measurable improvement in incomes and nutrition, driven by a more productive and market-linked agricultural sector that supports domestic consumption and stronger value chains for nutritious, high-value products.Apply for 72069622RFA00003
- The Agency for International Development, Rwanda USAID-Kigali in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "The Modernizing Agriculture Activity (ModAg)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.001.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 11, 2022.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 17, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $28,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Modernizing Agriculture Activity (ModAg) - USAID/Rwanda
What is the Modernizing Agriculture Activity (ModAg)?
The Modernizing Agriculture Activity (ModAg) is a USAID/Rwanda funding opportunity intended to help Rwanda's agricultural sector deliver stronger, more inclusive economic growth while also improving food security and nutrition.
What is the main purpose of this opportunity?
The central purpose is to increase household incomes and improve nutrition by sustainably raising agricultural productivity and strengthening domestic consumption and markets for higher-value and more nutritious agricultural products.
What is the big problem ModAg is trying to solve in Rwanda?
USAID frames the core challenge as Rwanda's agricultural sector not reaching its full potential to drive inclusive growth, food security, and nutrition due to several interconnected constraints across markets, finance, technology uptake, support services, and the enabling environment.
How is ModAg different from basic production support?
ModAg is intended to move beyond basic production support and focus on modernizing how agriculture connects to markets, finance, technology, and the broader policy environment so farming can generate higher incomes and better nutritional outcomes over time.
What outcomes does USAID want to see from ModAg?
USAID aims for measurable improvements in incomes and nutrition, supported by a more productive and market-linked agricultural sector, stronger domestic consumption, and stronger value chains for nutritious, high-value products.
What does "sustainably raising agricultural productivity" mean in this context?
Based on the description, sustainability points to approaches that keep working after the project ends, such as commercially viable models, durable private-sector relationships, and stronger local systems rather than temporary inputs.
What are the key constraints USAID highlights for Rwanda's agricultural sector?
USAID highlights interconnected constraints including weak linkages to profitable markets, insufficient financing, inadequate uptake of production-enhancing technologies, inefficient farmer support services, and a constrained enabling environment that discourages private-sector investment and engagement.
Why are market linkages an emphasis for this activity?
The opportunity description notes that farmers and agribusinesses often lack strong linkages to profitable markets, which can contribute to low-margin sales channels, high post-harvest losses, and weak bargaining power.
What does the opportunity say about financing challenges in the sector?
It identifies insufficient financing across the agricultural sector as a major constraint that limits investment in areas such as quality inputs, equipment, storage, aggregation, processing, and other improvements needed to raise productivity and profitability.
What types of technology uptake issues are mentioned?
The notice points to inadequate uptake of production-enhancing technologies. Examples named in the description include improved seed systems, climate-smart practices, irrigation solutions, mechanization, post-harvest handling, and digital tools not reaching farmers at scale or in ways that fit their needs and risk profiles.
What does "inefficient farmer support services" refer to?
It refers to gaps in extension, advisory services, training, and coordination that can prevent farmers from adopting better practices or meeting quality standards required by higher-value markets.
What is meant by a "constrained enabling environment"?
The opportunity describes an enabling environment that discourages private-sector investment and engagement, which can include policy, regulatory, or institutional barriers that increase the cost and risk of doing business in agriculture.
What kind of award is USAID planning to make?
USAID plans to fund one implementer through a cooperative agreement.
What is a cooperative agreement in this opportunity?
The description notes that because this is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, it typically implies substantial involvement by USAID during implementation, such as collaboration on planning, monitoring, adaptive management, and coordination with other stakeholders.
How many awards does USAID expect to make under this opportunity?
USAID expects to make a single award.
What is the maximum funding amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed is $28,000,000.
Who is issuing this funding opportunity?
This opportunity was issued by USAID in Kigali under the Agency for International Development, Rwanda (USAID-Kigali).
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is 72069622RFA00003.
When was this notice created?
The notice was created on July 11, 2022.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date was August 17, 2022.
What is the program category and type?
The opportunity is listed as discretionary and categorized under agriculture.
What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA (now often referred to as the Assistance Listing) is 98.001.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning a wide range of organizations may apply as long as they meet any specific eligibility conditions stated in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
How will USAID select the award recipient?
USAID intends to select the applicant that best matches the goals laid out in the NOFO, based on a merit review and a risk assessment.
Where should applicants look for the official requirements and selection process?
Prospective applicants are instructed to read the NOFO closely to understand the type of activity sought, the application requirements, and the selection process, indicating that compliance and responsiveness to the NOFO will matter.
Is this opportunity focused only on increasing yields?
No. It is positioned as a systems-oriented agricultural modernization effort that includes improving market connections, expanding access to finance, accelerating adoption of productivity-enhancing technologies, improving farmer support services, and addressing enabling-environment constraints to encourage private-sector investment.
Does the opportunity emphasize domestic markets and consumption?
Yes. It specifically emphasizes strengthening domestic consumption and markets for higher-value and more nutritious agricultural products, linking agricultural growth with improved nutrition outcomes.
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